FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 12, 2006

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Single-Payer Health Systems: A Lesson Learned the Hard Way

(Indianapolis, IN) – Single-payer health systems are often proposed as a solution to the problem of the uninsured.  In theory, such systems would provide all citizens with high-quality comprehensive health coverage.  In reality, single-payer health plans deny care to those who need it most.

The Indianapolis Association of Health Underwriters (IAHU) warns that such single-payer legislation will hurt consumers.  Lessons and statistics from other countries that have implemented single-payer systems show that such plans lead to medical rationing and can limit an individual’s access to the most up-to-date medical technologies.  In addition, single-payer systems often short-change physicians and other health care providers, and they frequently contain hidden administrative costs that have a negative impact on the quality of patient care and coverage.

“We believe that these initiatives are a disaster waiting to happen,” said Anita Strauss, President of the IAHU.  “Legislators often feel they have their constituents’ best interest in mind when they propose to ‘insure everyone,’ but if this is done in a way that destroys the marketplace, we all will pay the price.  Consumers who want affordable health insurance will be force-fed lower quality coverage at higher prices if single-payer systems are established.  The problem we are facing now in our country is that so many Americans do not have access to affordable health care but with a single-payer system the issue is not having access to medical care at all.

“A better solution to the rising cost of health care would be to implement market-driven initiatives that make health insurance more affordable and accessible.  Health tax credits and health savings accounts (HSAs) do just that by giving consumers more choice and control over their health care purchasing decisions.”  

The Indianapolis Association of Health Underwriters is a chapter of the National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU), an association of more than 18,000 professional health insurance agents and brokers who provide insurance for millions of Americans.  NAHU is headquartered in Arlington, VA.  For more information, visit our web site at www.indyahu.org.

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